Dental instrument sharpener



Aug. 7, 1945.-' A 1 MUDLER 2,380,988

DENTAL INSTRUMENT SHARPENER Filed July 5, 1944 `J z'Mudzer 'i andPatented Aug. 7, 1945 OFFICE DENTAL INSTRUMENT SHARPENER James ThomasMudler, United States Navy, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 3, 1944, Serial No. 543,375

6 Claims. (Cl. 51-220) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as`

amended April 30,1928; 370 O. G. 757) This invention relates to a dentalinstrument sharpener and has for an object to provide means ofsharpening various dental instruments and utilizes a sharpeningattachment with the usual dental engine that every practicing dentistpossesses.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attachment means tobe temporarily added to a dental engine whereby the dental l engine isconverted into a dental instrument ing the sharpening attachment to thedental engine than it takes him to add any dental tool to the dentalengine.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shownin the accompanying drawing, means for carrying the invention intopractical effect, without limiting the improvements in their usefulapplication to the particular constructions and arrangements which, forthe purpose of explanation. have been made the subject of illustration.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the sharpening aittachment mountediri'position on a dental engine slip-joint type of straight handpiecefor providing/a chisel edge on a dental instrument.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the attachment with' the instrument beingsharpened to a hollow ground edge.'

Eig. 3 1s a similar view showing the attachment with the vise omitted,as when sharpening an instrument with the working tip of irregularshape.

Fig. '4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is' a largeelevational view of the vise,

Fig. 6 is a partly sectional view through the vise on line B-g-I of Fig.5. y

-There is shown at III a conventional representation of a handpiece ofany dental engine having an internalchuck for receiving and rotating ashaft -I I. In this case the shaft I I has a small grinding wheel I2mounted thereon whereby the operation of the dental engine controls therotation of the grinding wheel I2. In addition to the grinding wheel I2this invention includes a base I3, a. guide -bar I4 and a sliding vise'I5'.

The base I3 has an aperture I6 of a suitable diameter that it will fitover the neck I1 of the handpiece I0. A set screw I8 extending throughthe side of the base I3 against the handpiece neck II in the aperture I6serves tov secure the base I3 rmly on the handplece neck Il. A secondand smaller aperture 20 receives thel long arm I9 of the guide bar I4therethrough which may be secured in appropriate position by means ofanother set screw 2|. The vise I5 is provided with an aperture 22 of adiameter enabling it to slide somewhat snugly on the short angle arm 23of guide bar I4. The vise I5 is provided with a. triangular opening 24transversely therethrough, one side of the triangular opening 24 beingparallel to and closest to the end 25 of the vise I5 furtherest from theguide bar opening 22. A set screw 26 extending through this end 2.5cooperates with the shank 21 of the y dental instrument 28 whose end 30is to be sharpened. The set screw 26 serves to tighten the instrumentshank 21 against two sides of the triangular opening 24, thus making arm connection,

In operation base I3 is slipped over the handpiece neck I1 and securedthereon by the set screw I8. The grinding wheel II is secured in thechuck of the handpiece III and the guide bar I4 is secured on the baseI3 through the opening 2II'by means of the set screw 2|. The vise I5fits snugly on the short arm 23 of the guide bar I4 and the instrumentshank 21 is secured to the vise by means of the set screw 26. As thusassembled, the instrument edge 30 is brought into contact with the atside of the grinding wheel I2 thus making it possible to provide achisel edge on the Instrument 28. If desired, the instrument 28 mayberotated 180 after the set screw has been loosened if it is desired tosharpen the instrument from both sides.

As shown in Fig.' 2 the vise l5 may be removed from the short arm 23 ofthe guide bar I4and placed on the long arm I9 of the guide bar I4 beforeit is assembled on the base I3, thus enabling the circular surface ofthe grinding wheel I2 to be used for hollow grinding the edge 3I of Yaninstrument 32. On some occasions, an instrument 33 may have an end 34 onwhich it is desired to grind anirregular edge. In such cases, the viseI5 mayl be omitted and the instrument 33 may be rested against the shortarm 23 of the guide bar I4 while it is being sharpened on the grindingwheel I2.

It will be understood, as previously stated, that the above descriptionand accompanying drawing comprehend onlythe general and preferredembodiment of the invention and that various changes' in construction,proportion and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims without sacrificing any of the advantages of theinvention.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon orv therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument sharpening attachment cornprising a grinding wheeladapted to be mounted on an engine handpiece for rotation, a base, meansfor securing said base to the engine handpiece, a guide bar, means fordetachably securing 1 said guide bar to said base, and a vise forsecuring an instrument to be sharpened on the grinding wheel, said visebeing slidably mounted on said guide bar.

2. An instrument sharpening attachment comprising a grinding wheeladapted to be mounted in an engine handpiece for rotation. a base meansfor securing said base to the handpiece neck, an angular guide barconsisting of a pair of arms at an angle to each other, means forsecuring said guide bar to said base, a vise having an aperture adaptedto slidably and snugly tit on an arm of said guide bar, said vise havingan opening transversely extending therethrough and means extending tosaid transverse opening to securely hold an instrument inserted throughsaid transverse opening whereby such instrument may be held insharpening position against a guide bar to said base, a vise having anaperture adapted to slidably and snugly t on an arm of said guide bar,said vise having an opening transversely extending therethrough andmeans ex- `tending through anfend of said vise to said transverseopening to securely hold an instrument inserted through said transverseopening whereby such instrument may be held in sharpening positionagainst a selected surface of said grinding wheel.

4. An instrument sharpening attachment comprising a grinding wheeladapted to be mounted in an engine handpiece for rotation, a base havingan aperture adapted to nt about the neck of the handpiece. set screwmeans extending through said neck aperture for securing said base to thehandpiece neck, an angular guide bar consisting of a pair of arms at anangle to each other, said base having a second aperture to receiveonearm of said guide bar therethrough,

set screw means extending through said second aperture for securing saidguide bar to said base, a vise having an aperture adapted to slidablyand snugly iit on an arm of said guide bar, said vise having an openingtransversely extending therethrough and a set screw means extendingthrough an end of said vise to said transverse opening to securely holdan instrument inserted through said transverse opening whereby suchinstrument may be held in sharpening position against a selected surfaceof said grinding wheel.

5. An instrument sharpening attachment comprising a grinding wheeladapted to be mounted in an engine'handpiece for rotation, a base havingan aperture adapted to iit about the neck of the handpiece, set screwmeans extending through said neck aperture for securing said base to thehandpiece neck, an angular guide bar consisting of a pair of arms at anangle to each other, said base having a second aperture to receive onearm of said guide bar therethrough, set screw means extending throughsaid second aperture for securing said guide bar to said base, a visehaving an aperture adapted to slidably and snugly iit on an arm of saidguide bar, said vise having a triangular opening transversely extendingtherethrough and a set screw means extending through an end of said viseto said transverse opening to securely hold an instrument insertedthrough said transverse opening whereby such instrument may be held insharpening position against a selected surface of said grinding Wheel-6. An instrument sharpening attachment comprising a grinding wheeladapted to be mounted in the engine handpiece for rotation, a basehaving an aperture adapted to fit about the neck of the handpiece, setscrew means extending through said neck aperture for securing said baseto the handpiece neck, an angular guide bar consisting of a long arm anda short arm, said base having a second aperture to receive one arm ofsaid guide bar therethrough, set screw means extending through saidsecond aperture for securing said guide bar to said base. a vise havingan aperture adapted to slidably and snugly fit on an arm of said guidebar, said vise having a triangular opening vtransversely extendingtherethrough and a set screw means extending through an end of said viseto said transverse opening to securely hold an instrument insertedthrough said transverse opening whereby such instrument may be held insharpening position against a selected surface of said grinding wheel. y

JAMES THOMAS MUDLnn.

